Two Fries Short
by EA Thomas
Summary: When Jack looses his memory...well...you can imagine the rest...
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: Stargate is not and never will be mine...but until the writers start doing thing my way I will just have to rewrite everything they do...

TIMELINE:

Season 8. For the past month Colonel Jack O'Neill has been held in stasis in Antarctica. With political views reaching new highs every day, Doctor Weir, the civilian now in charge of the SGC, has her hands tied as far as a rescue operation is concerned.

The SGC has been nothing more than a administrative office lately, as they have been suspended from gate travel until further notice from the president—and in turn have not been able to reach the Asguard in regards to Col. O'Neill's present condition.

Just as Daniel, Teal'c and Major Carter come to their wits end, they receive a message from the Thor: He has taken Colonel O'Neill from Antarctica and is presently removing the ancient knowledge from his brain pattern. All is well and in a matter of days the Colonel will be returned to the SGC.

It has now been two weeks since Thor's message and there has been no further communication about O'Neill's condition…

"Two Fries Short"

As Major Carter walked through the halls of the SGC she wondered why she even bothered to come here anymore.

This place had never seemed like a job to her. Not in eight years had it felt like a job where she had to be here for a certain amount of time.

This had been her home, it's where her friends were on a daily basis and it's where her father would come to see her.

It's where she would spend endless hours pouring over some new technology she had brought back from another world.

But now—now it seemed like a job.

Everyday she came in and sat in her office, filled out paper work, drank endless cups of coffee, sat Through endless meetings with Doctor Weir as she tried to explain once again why her hands were tied—she really hated that woman, if not for the sole reason that everyday she dished out the same line, "I know how much Colonel O'Neill belongs to you—to all of you, but there's nothing I can do." That line alone made her want to just punch her right in the head. How could she possibly make an assumption like that? How the hell could she know anything about them? She'd been here—what—a month?

It was simple things like this that made her miss Janet even more.

And today wasn't any different.

Her morning started off with Daniel poking his head into her lab, coffee in hand, as he announced that there was a meeting in a half hour.

"I'll be there." She said, with the wave of her hand. She had even taken to dismissing Daniel these days—even though she didn't mean to.

Daniel took it all in stride though, he knew that this was tearing her apart—and if he could annoy her to a point where some of that frustration could be taken out on him, well then he did his good deed for the day.

Now she was on her way to the briefing room. Her feet wanted to drag the entire length of the hallway, but she forced them along. Walking into the briefing room she sat down with her fourth cup of coffee and set a file down on the table—just so it looked like she had been working on something.

Daniel and Teal'c had already sat in their seats, and she nodded across the table at them as Weir walked in the room.

"Good morning everyone."

There was that annoying chipper voice of hers. What was she expecting them to say in reply? "GOODMORNING DOCTOR WEIR!" Like they were in some episode of Mr. Roger's neighborhood?

"I've got some new…"

That was the last thing Carter paid attention to—after that she took to staring at the star chart behind Weir's head.

She was well into daydreaming about the days of off world missions when the alarms rang out through the entire base.

IN COMING WORM HOLE

She was out of her seat in a second and darting down the staircase to the command room before the other could get out of their seats.

"Sergeant?" She called out to Walter as she took the seat next to him.

Looking at the screen before him, Walter looked over to Major Carter and smiled.

"It's the Asguard."

"Open the Iris." It was the first thing she had said all morning the she actually meant.

The iris slid open and a moment later Thor walked Through with Colonel O'Neill.

Carter was speechless as they walked down the ramp.

She was standing behind Daniel and Teal'c as Weir moved to the front.

"Thor—I'm Doctor Weir, it's a pleasure to meet you." She said, holding out her hand to Thor.

"Doctor Weir—we have much to discuss."

"So, Jack—how ya feeling?" Daniel asked as he looked over to Jack.

Jack only stared blankly at Daniel and looked back to Thor.

"Uh…Thor…" O'Neill asked, standing back from the group of eager strangers that stood before him.

"It is alright O'Neill, they are friends."

"Uhmm, Thor—what's going on?" Daniel asked.

"A side effect of the removal process was O'Neill's memory loss."

"He lost his memory? Is it going to come back?" Weir asked before Carter could open her mouth.

"It's will return in time—I would suggest not rushing it." Thor said.

"I would like to get a full check up on you Colonel—just to be safe." Weir said, stepping in front of carter as she motioned for him to walk down the ramp.

O'Neill, still reminiscent of a child, looked to Thor for approval.

"It is safe O'Neill, this is your home." Thor said.

"Alright…I guess this will all make sense later." O'Neill said, walking off the ramp and to Daniel's side. As Weir motioned for him to follow her out into the hall, O'Neill looked to Daniel and then caught sight of Carter behind him. As he stared at her from around Daniel, O'Neill all but tripped over his feet as he tried to get a better look at her.

"It's alright Jack." Daniel said, holding his shoulder as they walked out into the hall.

Carter followed behind Daniel and Weir. She had imagined this going differently. She had imagined that there would be that awkward moment where Jack said, "Hi, I'm back…Miss me?" And she would reply with a, "Of course we did, Sir—it's good to have you back." But this, this was throwing her completely off balance. And why did he stare at her like that?

"He's perfectly healthy." The doctor announced as Weir, Daniel, Teal'c, Carter and O'Neill sat around the conference table. "The Asguard did a great job in the removal process. As for your memory loss, colonel, I think we should let you remember on your own—I don't want anything forced."

"I agree, and Colonel," Weir said, turning to see a very off balanced Colonel O'Neill. "I'm going to request that you remain on the base until your memory returns."

With an uncertain nod, O'Neill looked to the other faces in the room.

"I'm tired—I need to lay down." O'Neill said abruptly, he needed to get away from these people. They were just plain freaking him out. Standing from his seat, O'Neill headed for the door.

Weir stood to call him back but Daniel held his hand out to her and followed him out into the hall where O'Neill stood looking down either end of the hall.

"Jack?" Daniel said, walking up behind him.

"Where the hell am I?" Jack asked looking back to Daniel.

"This place is a little confusing-but it'll come back. Don't rush it." He said, walking down the hall with Jack at his side.

Daniel opened the door to Jack's room that he kept there and Jack walked in hesitantly.

"And this is all my stuff?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, the stuff you keep here."

"I look boring." Jack said, picking up a picture and setting it back down.

"I'll come back and get you for dinner." Daniel said as he closed the door.

"Oh Hey wait…uh…Dan…"

"Yes?"

"That woman…with the blonde hair…"

"Sam?"

"That's her name?"

"Well—Samantha, we call her Sam."

"Oh—and I know her?"

"Yeah, you do. Do you remember her?"

"I don't know…I'm tired though."

"Alright, get some rest…watch some TV." Daniel said, closing the door.

Alone at last, Jack sat on the edge of the bed and laid back. Covering his eyes with his hands he exhaled and tried to think—about anything.

This had to be the irritating feeling in the world. When he first woke up on the Asguard ship—Thor had to tell him his name.

He couldn't even remember the names of the people he had just met—except her.

Samantha—Sam. There was something in her eyes that had caught him when he first saw her. Something that made him just want to look at her, study her and find out how the hell he knew her.

Daniel came back and took Jack to the commissary for dinner.

Jack had looked all around the room—but the blonde he was looking for was nowhere in sight. Daniel had looked at him awkwardly when he asked about her before so he thought that it might be better not to ask about her a second time—maybe they weren't friends.

He returned to his room and the rather tall gentleman with the gold emblem on his forehead bid him goodnight. Daniel asked if he wanted company for a while—but Jack just wanted to sleep.

As he laid back into the bed once again, Jack looked around the room.

There were a few pictures on the desk.

Nothing looked familiar, even though he was in one of the pictures with a young boy—his son?

Unable to settle his thoughts, Jack lay across the bed and flipped on the TV.

He hadn't expected to find anything to watch, but it made for good background noise as he fell a sleep…and dreamed of a life he couldn't remember…

Daniel walked back to his own room and thought about this new Jack that had come back to them.

He remembered how it felt when he first came back. How he had to remember everything and how everyone had acted as though they knew him—it freaked him out. But at the same time it was nice to know that there were people that cared. Somehow he knew that all his experience in the world wasn't going to help Jack…no one was going to be able to help Jack—except Jack.

Lost in his thoughts, Daniel ran right into Sam a she came around the corner with a box in her arms.

"Woah! Sorry." Daniel said, catching the box in his hands as Sam almost fell to the floor.

"Oh, hey Daniel." She said, taking the box back from him.

"Where have you been all day?"

"Oh-I uh, went o Colonel O'Neill's house to get some of his things." She said motioning to the box.

"Oh…"

"I just figured it would be better have some of his own things around him…"

"Yeah—I guess…we uh, missed you at dinner."

"Oh—sorry."

Daniel studied her for a moment and reached for her arm as she tried to walk away.

"Are you alright, Sam?"

"Yeah—why?"

"Just checking."

"I'm fine—I'm just going to take this to Colonel O'Neill and head off to bed."

"Okay."

Daniel watched as she headed off to Jack's room—this wasn't going to be easy for any of them…

Lost in his dreams where voices and images passed through him before he could focus on them, Jack lay across the bed as he began to too and turn in his sleep.

The two knocks on the door brought him out of his dreams and sliding onto the floor with a thud.

"Sir? Are you alright?" Carter asked through the door.

"Yeah? Come in." He said, rubbing his head as he sat on the floor.

The door opened and all jack saw was a large box attached to a pair of legs…a nice pair of lady legs…

"Hello…" Jack said, watching the pair of legs as they walked to the other side of the room and set the box down. The blonde beauty that turned around and smiled at him brought a tightening feeling in his chest that brought a smile to his face. Standing to his feet, Jack held out his hand to shake hers and when she clasped his hand with her own he held it until he was holding her hand between them. "You're—"

"Samantha." Jack said, still holding her hand as he stared at her.

The honesty in his eyes set her back a moment, then she pulled her hand from his and turned back to the box. "I brought some things from your house, Sir. Some clothes, razor, video tapes…" Turning back around to Jack, Sam leaned back against the table as she realized that he was still looking at her. "And your tooth brush—you don't keep one here." She said, moving around him to the door. "I'll uh…leave you alone, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Hey Sam?"

"Yes Sir?"

"Do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

"Call me Jack."

The situation suddenly became too awkward to her—was Jack O'Neill FLIRTING with her? "Okay, Jack."

A quick smile was her last goodbye before closing the door.

Jack walked over to the box and looked back to the door. There was defiantly something familiar about that woman…

The next morning Daniel was working in his office when Jack walked in the door.

"Hey, Daniel right?" Jack asked as he walked in, somewhat unsure if he was even welcome in this mans office.

"Yeah, uh—"Daniel stuttered as Jack walked over to him. "How did you get here?"

"Oh, there's a guard following me around—he's a pretty good tour guide." Jack said, pointing to the door where the armed guard stood and nodded at Daniel.

Daniel waived him off and the guard walked away. "So. How was your first night?"

"Just don't ask me if I remember anything." Jack said, sitting in a chair across from him. "I've saw seven people on my way here and everyone of them asked me if I remembered anything—it's really annoying."

"I know." Daniel couldn't help but smile at Jack- this was almost funny.

"So…what is it that you do around here—Daniel?" Jack asked as he took a long look around the room.

"I'm a linguist."

"As in…you speak multiple languages?"

"24."

"Oh wow—impressive." Jack said as he raised his eyebrow. "And how long have I known you?"

"Ah—well, we aren't supposed to tell you stuff."

"I'm just trying to see if…if we uh—are we friends?" Jack asked, somewhat embarrassed that he had to ask at all.

Easing up a bit, Daniel moved his chair over to sit in front of Jack. "Yeah, we're friends."

"So I can talk to you about stuff?"

"Of course—something in particular you wanted to talk about?"

"Well—uh…no not really…just stuff…"

As Jack drifted off, a familiar voice came from the hall.

"Hey Daniel! If you aren't busy I'd love your help on—"When Carter entered the room she stopped talking and walking altogether—Jack was staring at her again.

"Hey Sam."

"Hey, sorry—I didn't mean to interrupt." She said backing out into the hall.

"Oh no—you aren't interrupting, please…stay." Jack stood from his seat and waived Sam to come back in.

He was doing it again, what ever it was that he was doing Sam couldn't put a finger on it—but it was making her nervous.

"No, I was just going to get breakfast…"

"What a coincidence—we haven't eaten either." Jack said, waling to the door and looking back to Daniel.

"I could go for a coffee."

Soon the three of them were sitting in the commissary eating breakfast.

Daniel and Sam spoke of an artifact they were studying and Jack listened intently.

As they spoke he couldn't help but watch Sam. She moved with a grace about her that had him hypnotized. They weren't even paying attention to him when he sat back in his chair and gaped at Sam…

"You're Thera."

Sam was out of her seat and all but running down the hall before Daniel realized what was going on.

Jack chased her, after mumbling under his breath that he knew what was going on now.

"Hey!" He yelled after Sam as he ran down the hall.

As Sam tried to ceremoniously run away from Jack O'Neill she couldn't help but feel like an idiot. But before she could stop, Jack grabbed her by the arm.

Without a word, she pulled him into the nearest room that happened to be empty.

Pulling tighter on her arm, Jack tried to hold her still—but Sam pulled free and moved to the other side of the room—she was scared of him.

"Oh God-" Jack said, realizing what he had just done. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" he reached for her again but Sam moved behind a table. Jack stopped trying to reach for her and stood on the other side of the table. "I'm sorry—I didn't mean to, did I hurt you?"

"No…I'm fine." Sam said trying to keep her voice from cracking. In all the years she knew Jack O'Neill—he had never hurt her.

"Look—I remember this clearly, you're Thera—I know this."

"No, I'm not." She said clearly.

"How can you not be? I remember you—laying on my shoulder…the smell of your hair…the feel of your hand in mine—I remember it."

"No—you don't."

Before Jack could speak again, Daniel burst into the room and stopped in the door way as Teal'c came up behind him and walked right over to Sam.

"MajorCarter, are you alright?" Teal'c asked, ushering her to the door.

"I'm fine Teal'c—it's okay."

Daniel stared at Jack in shock—what the hell was going on?

Daniel waited until Teal'c had walked out with Sam before he walked in and closed the door behind him. "Wana talk Jack?"

"I didn't mean to—oh god…what the hell was I thinking!" Jack grunted as he mentally kicked himself.

"I think I better take you back to your room."

"Just—tell her I'm sorry." Jack said, walking out into the hall as walked beside Daniel. "Oh she is never going to talk to me again, is she?"

"Well—I know you don't remember, but this actually isn't the worst thing you've ever done to her."

"I'm that much of a jerk?"

"Well—no…it just seems to happen…"

In the infirmary, Teal'c stood by as the doctor checked out Carter.

"Really, I'm fine—it doesn't even hurt." Carter protested as the doctor turned her wrist over in his hand.

"Alright Major, the x-ray came back clear and I don't see any bruising yet. If it does give you any trouble—come back."

"Really, he wasn't trying to hurt me—he just got confused."

"Colonel O'Neill is not acting himself." Teal'c said, as always stating the obvious.

"Teal'c, he wasn't trying to hurt me—really. He's just getting his memories confused, at least they are coming back."

"Still, I want you to stay away form him until I get a look at him. I'll release you if you promise to go LAY DOWN. Teal'c, do me a favor and escort Colonel O'Neill here after you drop the Major off at her room?"

The silent warrior nodded his compliance and held out his hand to held Carter off the bed.

A few hours of contemplating just what had happened when Jack grabbed her and Carter was ready to get some answers. So, long after the SGC day shift had headed home—she headed for Jack's room.

Wallowing in regret, Jack sat in the far corner watching the TV. He had put in the tapes that Samantha brought him—something called The Simpsons, it was without a doubt the funniest show he'd ever seen but he wasn't in a laughing mood.

All he wanted was—something called a beer, but he couldn't remember what the hell that was and that just made him even madder.

The soft knock at his door brought Jack out of his wallowing and to the door.

But as he pulled it opened, he found himself staring into the bright blue eyes that belonged to non-other than Samantha Carter…

"Hi." She said quickly—before her voice gave out on her.

"Hi." Jack said just as quick. Moving out of the doorway, he let her walk in—she closed the door behind her.

"I'm not disturbing you am I?" Carter asked, as she walked over to the desk and sat in the chair.

"Oh, no…uh—Samantha, I am so sorry about earlier—"

"We need to talk."

"Okay…" Jack sat down slowly on the edge of the bed and leaned forward on his knees.

"You're starting to remember things…and that's good—but you're remembering them wrong."

"I don't know how I can be wrong—I know you."

"Yes…you do—but not like you think you do." Standing from the chair, Sam took a deep breath before trying to continue. "I'm a Major in the Air Force, and you are a Colonel—my commanding officer to be exact. We've been working together for about eight years and we're friends—but that's it."

Squinting his eyes, Jack looked up at her as though he knew she was handing him a line of bull. "I don't believe you." In an instant he was up from the bed and walking towards her again. "Look—I get it, you aren't supposed to be telling me anything…" He said walking up behind her as she turned into him. Before she could back away from him, Jack had his arm around her…and his right index finger was tracing the curve of her neck. "I haven't been able to remember anything since I came back—nothing, but somehow…I remember you. It's perfectly clear in my mind…your eyes, your smile…" As he spoke, Jack's fingers traced over her eyes and lips. She wasn't fighting him. "I remember how your hands feel when I hold them, how you lay your chin on my shoulder when I hold you…" He pulled her into his embrace and let her chin rest on his shoulder. His arms pulled her closer into his chest and he enveloped her, her own arms found their way around his waist. "I know that even though you don't wear perfume—you still have this intoxicating scent that drives me insane. And I love how you get excited about something and go on a rant—even if I can't understand a damn word you're saying…" As his words trailed off, Jack's lips began a slow trail down her neck…


	2. Part two

Sam's heart was about to beat out of her chest as Jack enveloped her in his arms. Her conscious screamed for her to leave, to get as far away as possible—STOP THIS! Holding on to his arms, as though she'd fall to the floor if it weren't for his hand at the small of her back.

"Samantha…" Jack whispered as he pulled up from her shoulder, leaning in just close enough to brush her lips with his. "Can I kiss you?"

Beneath the eyes that were locked with his; a battle was being waged within Sam Carter. Everything in her was being contradicted and challenged. Everything she held dear in this world faded as Jack became clearer…

"Oh man…do you have bad timing." Sam said, letting her forehead crash against his chest.

"How's that?" Jack asked, pulling her back as he smiled.'

"Sir—"

Covering her mouth with his fingers, Jack pulled her back into his arms. "I remember something else—"

"What?"

"How much I hate it when you call me, Sir."

The two broke into laughter as Sam, moved out of his arms and ran her hand through her hair. "I really can't do this—I have to go." Walking around him, Jack took her hand and she turned back to him.

"Stay?" The look in his eyes brought her heart rate up again.

"I can't."

"Please? I'll sit in the other side of the room—we can watch those tapes you brought me, they're pretty funny." He said, pulling her back.

"I really—really have to get out of here." Her hand on his shoulder, Sam smiled gently and he let go of her.

She had refused to stay, but Jack insisted and when she reached for the door he threatened to call for the guard.

"You wouldn't." She said, facing him as she closed the door back.

"To get you to stay, I'd do just about anything." The smile on his face made her blush and he realized just how uncomfortable he had made her. "Come on," he said pushing up a chair. "I'll sit over here, you can have the bed—"

His comment made her laugh nervously—what in god's name was she thinking? And she stayed.

Jack put in tape after tape of Simpson's episodes until Sam had fallen asleep on his bed. But it wasn't until the credits were rolling that he noticed she was fast asleep.

Picking up the edge of the blanket he pulled it over her softly and covered her shoulders. She stirred slightly and he brushed the hair away from her face.

That's when it happened—-so fast he didn't really know how it started.

Her hand moved out from under the blanket and touched his hand. Then in one smooth movement she rolled with is hand in hers and soon he was lying on the bed with Sam Carter cuddled in his arms.

He didn't want to move. The heat from her body set his own on fire and all he wanted to do was…take a cold shower.

She stirred in his arms again as he held her. Now she had turned as was using the right side of his chest as a pillow.

He couldn't help but touch her. Let his fingers entwine in her hair, touch her lips and hold her.

Something in him was conflicted. It wasn't tangible, just a feeling in his gut that this was wrong, that she shouldn't be here and he shouldn't be holding her. But how could it be wrong? How could feeling like this be wrong? How could being with a beautiful woman be wrong?

He tried to move out from under her, but his movement only caused her to stir again and as she moved up on his chest he looked down to see if she had waken—and was met with her lips.

Her lips parted his own and created a fire that spread to the very fiber of his being. He trembled only a moment; paused only a moment before dismissing every uncertainty he had a moment before.

Pulling her into his arms, Jack felt her weight on him as their kiss deepened—and her eyes opened.

In an instant, Sam pulled back from him but still lay in his arms.

Looking down she realized what had happened—what was happening.

The look of shock was clear on her face, but Jack pulled her back down and rolled her to his side as he pulled her back against his chest. She didn't resist him, but still felt awkward in his arms and he entangled their legs as he pulled her chin up so their eyes locked.

"I knew I was right." He kissed her again and in the moment Sam didn't know to pull back.

The world was upside down and she couldn't find a way to make it right.

The sweetness of his lips meet her own and her arms tightened around him.

The blanket was thrown off and his hands were pulling at her shirt. The world was quickly fading and as Jack hands moved to her bare back the only thing Sam could think of was what could be more right than this?

Her shirt was hanging off the chair across the room.

His shirt was in the far corner.

Two pairs of shoes lay at the end of the bed with two pairs of socks and two pairs of trousers.

The TV had long since turned to static and was lighting a small area of the dark room where Jack and Sam's feet were entangled at the bottom of the bed.

Reality had yet to return to the sleeping couple beneath the blue comforter that held them together like a burrito.

He was awake. He had been for the last hour. But he couldn't bring himself to move. Their bodies felt like they had been fused together by their own heat.

He lay on his side with her neatly tucked into his arms. Her body fit into his as though sculpted by Davinci himself.

He had spent the last hour memorizing the curve of her back and was about to move but her sudden deep breath kept him still…

Sam's eyes fluttered open slowly and the first thing to come into view was the case for the Simpson's tapes that sat on the nightstand. It took her three seconds to realize—remember where she was and whose hand was resting on her hip.

The heat from Jack's body was burning into her as she tried to gain her composure.

Jack lay with is eyes closed when he heard the one word that brought his perfect morning to a close.

_SHIT!_

She slipped out of his arms and stood from the bed.

He kept his eyes closed as she moved around the room, cursing under her breath as she gathered her clothes. He thought it best to keep up the rouse until she left—he didn't want her to feel embarrassed about what had happened.

The door closed behind her and he slowly sat up in the bed. The room spun around him and his first thought was breakfast.

It was only 0300 when Sam had made her walk of shame down the halls of the SGC.

Thank god the morning shift isn't in yet… 

Walking into her room, Sam stopped in the middle of the room and stared in the mirror.

What the hell were you thinking? Do you know what you've done? He's innocent; you knew exactly what you were doing!

Un able to bear her own image and longer, she grabbed her shower bad and headed for the women's locker room for a much needed shower.

Last night had been…indescribable—she still felt his hands on her skin, his scent was everywhere. It had been beautiful, and magical—but now that the real world settled around her, Sam Carter knew that she had betrayed Jack—betrayed her commanding officer and the United States Air Force.

Carter slumped into her lab chair and let her forehead rest in her hands.

Looking down a brief moment, she saw a post-it-note stuck to her desk and lifted it into the light.

_Couldn't find you—meeting_

_at 0800—sounds important._

Daniel 

Just great. This is just what she needed.

Milling around her lab until the last moment, Carter had to run down the hall just to make sure she wasn't late for the meeting.

Slowing to a walk just outside the briefing room, Carter shook off the panged of regret in her chest and walked in to see everyone already there.

"Major, glad you made it." Weir said, already comfortable in her seat at the head of the table with Teal'c and Daniel at her side.

Sitting across from Daniel, she nodded to her teammates and opened the folder on the table in front of her. "So—what did I miss?"

"Thor sent a transmission." Weir announced.

Weir's announcement set Carter into professional mode and she soon forgot about the fear and guilt that had by throat a moment ago.

The news was serious. The Asguard were under attack and the message from Thor was sketchy at best but one thing stuck in the front of Carter's mind and everything else that followed was muted.

NEUROLOGICAL TRAUMA, Jack would only regain his memory through an event that over loaded his synaptic pattern—then his memory would be "re-set" and he would remember nothing after being frozen in the outpost at Antarctica.

After the meeting broke, Carter tried to appear calm as she walked back to her lab. It was all she could do to try and think of what might happen in the next few days.

A severe neurological trauma. He would not remember anything that has happened in the last few days.

Guilt swept over her for the second time that day. She couldn't help but find hope in the fact that Jack wouldn't remember what had happened.

"Hey."

Carter walked into her lab to find Jack sitting comfortably in her chair.

She stopped dead and gaped over at him.

"Hi." She managed to get one word out.

"You weren't there when I woke up."

"I had to go to work."

Jack nodded. "I have a feeling that you use that excuse a lot."

"We need to talk about something." Carter sighed. This was not going to be easy.

"Okay, what's on you mind?"

Motioning between them, "This."

"Oh—that."

"I can't do it."

"I think we already did—"

"What I said, in your room—it was the truth. We aren't together."

"I don't believe you."

"I'm with someone else, his name is Pete."

"Not buying it."

Pulling out her wallet from her desk, she showed him a picture. "That's Pete."

"What's this supposed to mean to me?"

"The truth. I can't lie to you anymore."

"I love you—that's all that matters."

"Jack—"

Taking her by the shoulders, Jack made her look at him. "Don't see him anymore—I know you love me."

"NO—" she said, clearly staring into his eyes. "I don't."

Holding her neck, Jack kissed her and wouldn't let her pull out of his arms no matter how hard she fought.

"STOP!" Carter screamed. "You aren't even Jack." She said, pulling back and moving behind her desk.

"Why are you lying to me?"

"I'm not lying." Looking around the room, she saw the two photographs on the filing cabinet. "Look at this." Pulling down the photo she handed it to him. Within the frame, one of her most proud moments had been captured. Her promotion to Major. She stood on the left hand side of the picture with Colonel O'Neill standing before her with General Hammond as they pinned her rank on her shoulder. A small message was scribbled in the corner.

_For the Egg Head, congrats!_

_You deserve it._

_Col. O'Neill_

Jack looked at the picture and frowned for a moment. It was him, clearly he was the man in the picture. But it looked wrong. The faces were familiar but the picture was a lie. Trying to fight against the reality that he may be wrong, Jack tried to shake the tightening in his temples. Squinting his eyes, he tried to look up at Sam.

Jack looked back down to the picture. "Hammond…"

"Yeah, that's General Hammond."

Squinting through the growing pain, Jack reached out for the wall but grasped air. "I uh—I feel dizzy."

Watching him slow collapse, Carter moved behind him and let him fall into her arms. "It's okay Jack—you'll be alright." Now sitting in the floor with him in her arms, Carter took the picture from him and held his arms.

Barely conscious, Jack couldn't focus on the images passing through his memory. Then he looked up to Sam and reached out for her face. "I never told you…"

"It's okay…don't fight it."

"My head hurts like hell…"

She held him until he had passed out in her arms. But even in his unconscious state, Jack wrestled through his dreams as he fought for a new grasp on his reality.

It wasn't until Daniel came in and saw her holding him that she finally let go.

"Do you know what triggered it?" Daniel asked, as he sat across from Carter in the commissary and held out another cup of coffee to her.

"He saw the picture in my office…I guess that did something."

Daniel nodded. "I guess that would be enough."

Siring in some sugar, Carter avoided his gaze. "I can't think of anything else."

Daniel sipped his coffee. "Doctor Nimpsey said he didn't know how long it was going to be…"

"It could be days…"

"Yeah…days…"

It wasn't until three days later, when Carter was making her daily check on Colonel O'Neill—that he woke up.

She had barely walked into the infirmary when he called out her name.

"Carter—what the hell is going on?" The curtain moved back and Jack O'Neill sat up in his bed and looked up at a very shocked Sam Carter.

"Sir?"

"Why are you looking at me like that? What happened?" Rubbing his head, Jack tried to sit on the edge of the bed when he felt a wave of dizziness hit him "Woah—bad idea."

Helping him lie back down, Carter smiled down to him.

"What do you remember?"

"Uh—weird question."

"Sir, please…"

"Okay, uh—that damn head sucker thing…Hammond was at my house—so was everyone else…Carter what is going on?"

"Nothing Sir—everything is fine. I'll get the doctor." Walking into the next room, Carter disappeared from Jack's view.

He had to lay back into the pillow and shut his eyes until the dizziness left him.

As the room filled with silence, a voice echoed in his memory… "Don't forget her…"

Carter left Colonel O'Neill to sleep and returned to her lab to actually do some work.

She was hovering over her microscope when it happened. It started with a queasy feeling that made her sit back in her seat and take a deep breath.

But before she knew it—she was running down the hall to the ladies room, hoping she would make it to the toilet before she made a mess all over the hall…

It was a week before O'Neill was back on his feet. But he had even more news coming his way when he walked into Doctor Weir's office—to find her packing.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked.

"Well, the President wants me to head up the team in Antarctica…"

"Hmm, any chance of Hammond coming back?"

"Well, I have an idea."

"Really? And would you mind sharing?"

"Yeah…uh—I think you know him actually…Brigadier General O'Neill."

Weir smiled over the box in front of her as O'Neill wrinkled his forehead at her…

"Brigadeir..." Jack said, as the full meaning of that one word hit him like a truck.

(Ladies and Gents, ATTENTION! This is NOT, and I say again, NOT the end of the story. This story is continued in a sequal named "Saving Grace" that has yet to be posted on this board. Just bear with me and I'll post it up...)


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